"Greetings, Noble successors, and welcome to the 368th season of the Emerald Awakening Ceremony," a gentle voice echoed through the hall.
In a grand hall. Built to accommodate over a hundred thousand successors spread across the Purple Continent.
It was extremely spacious, having over 148,000 square meters and over 534,345 square feet.
Even with its magnanimous space. It was still overcrowded, after all….Purple Continent has a total of fifty thousand kingdoms.
Each Kingdom could have more than three successors who were sent here to take the Emerald Awakening Ceremony.
For successors, whatever happens today will determine their future. Many felt excitement, many were overwhelmed by fear.
And amongst the tens of thousands of crowds gathered. Caden was present, his back resting on a wall.
His arms folded as he observed his surroundings. Whispers echoed through the hall.
By now, many successors have become friends with one another. Preparing for their future as they connect with others.
Caden was different. He stayed alone.
Even his senior brothers, who were seen in the grand hall, were already accumulating friends with other supreme kingdoms' successors.
With a gentle smile on his face, Kane Ryder was surrounded by five successors from different supreme kingdoms.
And the elderly man who spoke from the platform. Dressed in a pitch crimson suit, with a blue knotted tie.
His purple hair radiated from the platform. His voice drew the attention of every successor present in the hall.
He's Darius McLain, the current chief instructor of this season's Emerald Awakening Ceremony.
"Cough Cough" He cleared his throat, silence reigned in the hall as he continued his speech "In this grand hall, we've a total of a hundred and twenty thousand successors"
"And we've prepared a total of a hundred active mana evaluation stones, once your name is called..."
"Once you've exposed your Mana Core. Please prick your finger and let your blood be spilled on the mana evaluation stone," Chief instructor Darius's eyes scanned through the crowd.
Observing the reactions of the successors, he continued "Please note that the Red Crescent Kingdom is impartial and the mana evaluation stone has been cross-checked over a thousand times"
"Whatever your results may be. It is the simple truth, if you failed the Emerald Awakening Ceremony…."
"It simply means you failed, and if you pass the Emerald Awakening Ceremony, congratulations to you." Every successor listened quietly.
Many were anxious. If they awakened any skill below B-Rank for Supreme Kingdoms, it meant they failed.
But the original criteria for passing the Emerald Awakening Ceremony is C-Ranked Skill and above.
But supreme kingdoms are different. They had their own criteria to perfectly evaluate their strengths.
The successor to have the highest rank in the Emerald Awakening Ceremony has the highest chance of becoming the heir apparent.
Once the chief instructor, Darius McLain, stepped down from the platform. An emerald projected screen appeared before everyone's view.
A holographic screen was created as a result of multiple magic experiments and research.
On the screen, everyone could see the one hundred mana evaluation stones, each placed on a single wooden table.
There was reticence in the air, and tension soared through the roof.
"Medium-sized kingdom, Megrave Kingdom's successor, Suzen Brighton, please step forward"
The first name was called. For a few seconds, nobody stepped forward.
Suddenly a young successor stepped out of the crowd, even though he acted composed. Everyone knew he was shivering deep down.
Under their watchful gaze, he approached a mana evaluation stone. He grabbed a pin from the table and his finger was pricked.
A drop of blood splashed onto the mana evaluation stowhichcausing it to flicker for a second.
He had a Mana Aptitude of 3.08%
"Suzen Brighton has awakened a C-Ranked Innate Skill: Frozen Blood"
The announcement came in seconds later, and Suzen Brighton, who happens to be a successor of a Medium-sized Kingdom, was overwhelmed with joy.
He passed the mana evaluation stone.
Mana is the source of all living beings. Every living being possess an Innate Skill, whether dormant or active.
Innate Skills are determined from the race and environment in which a child is birthed in.
Purple Continent is suiated in the depths of the Northern Plains. In the land of cold and frost.
Whether it be their magic or sword styles. It has relations with the frost and icy world. Innate Skills of Purplemen mostly follow the structure of Ice and Frost.
Seeing that a successor has awakened his innate skill and passed the Awakening Ceremony, this caused the tension to ease up in the hearts of many successors. The next successor came in.
"Super-Kingdom, Alaris Kingdom's Successor, Cindy Linchester….please step forward"
A young purple-haired successor stepped out of the crowd. Just like Suzen, she was calm on the outside but tensed on the inside.
She followed the procedure and her finger was pricked. Her blood splashed on the mana evaluation stone which caused it to flicker for a second.
She had a Mana Aptitude of 4.1%
"Cindy Linchester has awakened a B-Ranked Innate Skill: Triple Ice Seal" the announcement came in seconds later.
"Yesss" Cindy punched the air in excitement. For a Super-Kingdom, B-Ranked Innate Skill is very good.
Shortly after Cindy Linchester. Many were called to the stage, but instead of experiencing joy. They experienced despair.
Why?
There was mass failure.
"Colton Bruheide has awakened an E-Ranked Innate Skill:Frost Hand Transformation. "
"Tutu Ketu has awakened a D-Ranked Innate Skill:One-Man Iceman Summoner"
"Seion Crozwell has awakened a D-Ranked Innate Skill: Water and Ice is the way"
And the numbers kept piling. The rate of success was dwindling massively.
Amongst a thousand successors, only three hundred would pass with C-Ranked Innate Skill.
Only Fifty would pass with B-Ranked Innate Skill and A-Ranked Innate Skills would only be ten.
After ten hours into the Emerald Awakening Ceremony. The atmosphere was heavy.
Thousands were crying, and the rest who hadn't gone through the Emerald Awakening Ceremony had a solemn expression.
Their hearts racing fervently, they felt intense pressure. Caden watched with an indifferent expression.
If it was before, if he had never obtained the Primordial System. He would be in their position.
In his past life, he awakened an E-Ranked Innate Skill, he failed the Emerald Awakening Ceremony, and was kicked out of the succession race.
He even had to flee Morningstar after his first senior brother, Kane, took over and became the King.
If he had never had a Mana Aptitude of 10%
He would be scared to the bones. But his arms remained folded as he watched from the sidelines.
Firstly, only Lower-tier Kingdoms, Medium-sized Kingdoms, Large-sized Kingdoms, and Super-Kingdoms were called to the stage.
Every ten seconds, a hundred successors would be summoned to take the Awakening Ceremony.
It was an orderly and well-coordinated Awakening Ceremony.
Even though they were done with their own Awakening Ceremony. No one was permitted to leave until the Emerald Awakening Ceremony was concluded.
They had to watch in tears.
Time went by and the first day of the Emerald Awakening Ceremony was concluded.
With all the Super-Kingdoms, Medium-sized Kingdoms, Large-sized Kingdoms, and Lower-tier Kingdoms' successors done with their Awakening Ceremony.
Amongst a hundred thousand and twenty-four successors who took the Awakening Ceremony.
Only fifteen thousand had B-Ranked Innate Skills.
Forty-four thousand successors passed with C-Ranked Innate Skills, sixty thousand failed the Emerald Awakening Ceremony.
Forty thousand have D-Ranked Innate Skills, and twenty thousand have E-Ranked Innate Skills.
Only a thousand successors had A-Ranked Innate Skills.
The numbers were truly wild.
Once the sky darkened. They were allowed to leave and return to the Inner-Sector to take their rest.
The moment the sun rose the next morning. They were all summoned back to the grand hall.
All one hundred and twenty-one thousand successors.
It was time for the successors of the Supreme Kingdoms to complete their Awakening Ceremony.